iWorld
Google, Facebook updating website as per new IT rules
New Delhi: Tech giants Google and Facebook have started updating their websites to reflect the appointment of the grievance officers as per the new IT rules that came into effect on 26 May.
The companies have shared the details with the ministry of electronics and information and technology, reported PTI citing government sources. However, Twitter is yet to inform the Centre if it is complying with the norms. Google’s ‘Contact Us’ page shows details of Joe Grier as a contact person with an address from Mountain View, US. It also contains details on the grievance redressal mechanism for YouTube.
The new IT (guidelines for intermediaries and digital media ethics code) rules, 2021 notified by the Centre on 25 February recommend a three-tier mechanism for regulation of all online media, which confers blocking powers to an inter-ministerial committee. As per the rules, each significant social media intermediary is required to appoint a chief compliance officer, a nodal contact person for 24×7 coordination with law enforcement agencies and a resident grievance officer. All three should be resident Indians. They will also have to publish a monthly compliance report mentioning the details of complaints received and action taken.
The intermediaries are also required to prominently publish on their website, app or both, the name of the grievance officer and his/her contact details as well as the mechanism by which a user or a victim may make a complaint. The grievance officer would be required to acknowledge the complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within 15 days from its receipt.
The platforms would also be required to ensure online safety of users, especially women and remove/disable access of any such morphed content, within 24 hours of the complaint, which can be filed either by the individual or by any other person on his/her behalf. The government has also asked the significant social media intermediaries providing services primarily in the nature of messaging “to enable identification of the first originator of the information.”
iWorld
Bajaj Dhuniverse crowns ‘Voice of the Nation’ on 31 March
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to judge finale in Mumbai as over 60,000 aspirants compete.
MUMBAI: Bajaj Dhuniverse just hit the high note because when 60,000 voices chase a dream, even the judges need earplugs and a standing ovation. Bajaj Finserv will conclude its digital-first music talent platform Bajaj Dhuniverse with a grand finale on 31 March in Mumbai. The event, hosted in the presence of legendary composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, will crown the ‘Voice of the Nation’ after a six-month nationwide search that drew over 60,000 auditions from metros to deep rural areas.
The platform enabled aspiring singers and musicians to submit audio and video entries without the barriers of physical auditions. A rigorous, multi-layered evaluation process shortlisted the top 100 contestants, who received mentorship from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy through a digital episodic format. From this pool, 10 finalists and one wild-card entrant were selected to perform live at the finale.
The winner will receive the opportunity to co-create the Bajaj Anthem as Season 1’s ‘Voice of Bajaj’, record an independent album with Zee Music Company, and collaborate with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy on a Spotify release.
Bajaj Finserv president of digital platforms Manav Mianwal said, “We owe it to the nation and our people to invest in creating platforms that harness potential and create new role models. The response we have received in Year 1 gives us the tailwinds and the courage to make this even bigger and better in Year 2.”
Shankar Mahadevan said, “What stood out to me about Bajaj Dhuniverse was the intent to find and elevate musical talent from all corners of India. The digital-first approach has made participation genuinely inclusive.”
Ehsaan Noorani added, “The range, depth and commitment we witnessed during evaluations were extraordinary.”
Loy Mendonsa noted, “India has always had immense musical talent. Bajaj Dhuniverse created a platform where musicians could step forward and be discovered.”
The campaign was amplified through on-air storytelling and on-ground activations in partnership with Radio Mirchi. The finale will be streamed nationwide, offering music lovers across the country a chance to witness the crowning moment.
In a country where musical dreams often stay hidden in small towns and villages, Bajaj Dhuniverse didn’t just open the stage, it built one that reaches every corner, proving that the next big voice may not come from the spotlight, but from the silence between the notes.
